As electronic devices continue to decrease in size, tighter tolerances for coupling their structural components may be required to facilitate the smaller sizes or to protect internal electronic components from moisture or damage. In addition to the structural specifications for electronic devices, tighter tolerances for coupling the structural components is also driven by the cosmetic appearance of the electronic devices and the tactile sensations evoked by handling the electronic devices. As the marketplace for consumer electronics devices becomes more competitive, device manufacturers are seeking to make advances in the look and feel of their electronic devices as well in the technological capabilities of their electronic devices.
Moreover, during the manufacturing process, it is common for several components of a consumer electronic to be mated together such that the interacting features between mating surfaces is very small. As these interfaces continue to be driven to smaller and smaller dimensions, legacy inspection and positioning methods may not be adequate to provide the accuracy needed for tool machining applications.